Wim Schouwenaar, CEO is passionate about the work carried out by DHSS. He told PES that the whole work force is dedicated to their services and go above and beyond the call of duty. Well aware of the importance of location and reactivity this go-ahead team provide full vessel agency services and helicopter logistics for the Offshore Energy Industry. Currently based in the Netherlands they are looking to expand globally.
In fact, it would appear that the world is their oyster.
PES: Hi Wim, it’s great to welcome you back to PES Wind. Please can you begin by giving us a brief overview of DHSS?
Wim Schouwenaar: It is good to catch up with PES Wind again. We are quite busy in all the service areas we provide to our offshore wind clients. Our clients are keeping us busy in all the ports, where we have an agency, in the Netherlands. Customers who regularly rely on our services with regards to all related activities during their project execution at sea and at their port calls. On a daily basis we provide our services to walk to work vessels, installation vessels and the supporting crew tender fleet for various wind farms.
The added value of our on-time services: warehousing system, customs expertise, container depots and of course our local network in each port, means we can meet our clients’ deadlines and help them keep everything moving.
The provided assistance is completed by our ‘flying squad’; the team that arranges and coordinates all helicopter flights to and from the wind farm assets situated in Dutch, Belgian, UK and German sectors of the North Sea. ‘Thank you for flying with DHSS’ is a term we use more and more lately.
Our latest developments are the opening of a multi-purpose terminal at the Port of IJmuiden, where we can welcome walk to work vessels, installation vessels with option to jack-up alongside, as well as CTV’s (crew tender vessels) alongside a fit for purpose quay. From here we are currently acting as a marshalling terminal throughout a maintenance campaign at a near shore wind farm.
Next to this, we have opened a brand-new helicopter terminal at our Eemshaven base. From here we provide a full service to MHI Vestas, for their hoisting flights to the Deutsche Bucht wind farm. We deliver the full scope of our services to this client. An absolute milestone for us, which we as a company, regard with pride in our work for and the teamwork necessary to execute this top-quality service.
PES: We were wondering what effects the current Covid 19 situation is having on
your business?
WS: It is a weird situation we are all in together globally. Restricted travelling, social distancing, wearing of face masks everywhere. It is a situation to which we need to adapt and to get ahead of where possible, whilst keeping all the regulations in mind. You cannot control the wind, but you can adjust your sails.
The European Commission has declared seafarer work in the offshore wind sector as vital professions, which means these workers can make use of the so-called green lane, when crossing borders travelling to or from work within the EU.
In order to avoid a huge expense for our customers, we provide COVID-19 tests for our clients, with results on same day. This so there are no massive extra local quarantine hotel times and therefore no extra costs. We arrange these tests not only in the Netherlands, but also in Belgium. Off the top of my head, we have arranged tests for over 4000 crew members so far.
PES: You have a wide range of services; how does this work and what are the benefits to the clients?
WS: Our aim is to be a strong support point to clients. We foster a good relationship with our stakeholders and value their feedback. Our account management is engaged in a variety of tasks, with an excellent sense of satisfying our client with a wide range of services, implemented by driven people, with in-depth know-how of the demanding needs of today’s clients. Going above and beyond the call of duty, is our success.
The 4 main services we offer are beneficial to our clients and with these we are able to give them total peace of mind in the widest sense, with regard to logistics: goods and people, customs regulations and local requirements.
